Degrees & Programs

The School of Accountancy offers degree specialties in public and private Accounting that provide students with a solid foundation of knowledge and understanding.

This section is divided into:

• BBA in Accounting
• Master's of Accounting
• Ph.D. in International Management
  (with an emphasis in Accounting)
• Executive Accounting Program
• Combined Executive Accounting Program and Master's of Accountancy
• Internet-Based Distance Master's of Accounting
• Executive-in-Residence Program

The purpose of the Accounting program is to prepare students for careers as professional accountants. The accounting profession may be divided into two major segments:

• Public Accounting
  • Specialties in this area include auditing, tax, and management advisory services. Some of the larger firms have reorganized these activities along industry lines. Students entering public accounting should prepare to become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Many students who graduate with an accounting degree are employed by national or international CPA firms, or by local CPA or public accounting firms, or, after they become certified, open their own independent practices.
• Other Accounting Jobs
  • Accounting positions in industry are most often available in firms engaged in manufacturing, wholesaling, retailing, banking, transportation, insurance, and real estate, as well as in hotels, entertainment enterprises, and restaurants. Positions in these organizations can be found in the areas of financial accounting, managerial accounting, and accounting information systems. Graduates also find employment as accountants in various branches of federal, state, or local governments or in not-for-profit organizations.

OUR PROGRAM

The School of Accountancy within the Shidler College of Business offers the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) with a major in Accounting (ACC) and the Master of Accounting (MAcc) degrees. The undergraduate accounting program provides students with an educational foundation for entry into a wide range of accounting careers and enables students to pursue graduate or advanced professional education. The MAcc program provides advanced education in taxation, financial accounting, and auditing necessary for students to pursue leading positions in public practice, business, not-for-profit organizations, government, and related fields.

An accounting background may provide a competitive edge for those aspiring to become chief executive officers, according to a recent Robert Half International survey. Students often study accounting even though their major interests may be in other areas of business. This enables these students to have a salable skill for easy entry into a business firm.

Effective June 21, 2001, students will need to have 150 semester hours of college education (that includes twenty-four semester hours in upper division or graduate level accounting courses) to take the CPA exam. The Undergraduate Accounting major prepares students for entry into the Master's of Accounting program (MAcc). A MAcc degree will provide students the credits necessary to take the CPA exam.

If you have further questions or would like more information, please contact the CBA Undergraduate Office of Student Academic Services by E-mail at osas@busadm.cba.hawaii.edu, or by phone at [1] (808) 956 8215 for the undergraduate Accounting program.